The Best Date Ideas in Los Angeles

There is something for everyone in Los Angeles, especially if you’re on a quest to impress a special someone with date that is fun, romantic and memorable

There are plenty of places to stroll together and things to do on a date in Los Angeles.

With a multitude of indoor and outdoor activities for the athletic and non-athletic alike, you can most certainly find yourself and your companion snuggling up anywhere from a sunny beach to a dark bowling alley. Courting for the bookish, artsy film lovers to the gregarious, trendy, music lovers and everything in between is possible in LA, where dating itself can be considered an art form.

Get Artsy

The Los Angeles County of Modern Art does art SoCal style. Woo your date with your knowledge of modern art, stroll through the Japanese art pavilion or comment on your interpretations of the latest bizarre art installation. LACMA has classical and jazz concerts; and movie screenings where you can hear from the filmmakers themselves afterward. If your date is more of an old school art fan, the Getty Museum in Malibu has more of a traditional vibe. Turn your date on while ogling famous the Getty’s Greek classical art and antiquities collection. Ogle its array of neoclassic art and impressionist paintings including Van Gogh’s “Irises” together for a classy, memorable date.

Go for a Stroll

Take your date to a fun evening on the Santa Monica Pier, where you can dine on lobster rolls and margaritas or try your luck in a game of chance. At night, the Ferris wheel lights up in festive colors -- a kitschy, romantic place to cuddle up and kiss, while getting a bird’s eye view of the city. The pier also has free concerts on summer nights. Other fun places to walk around are the Venice Beach boardwalk, where you can get a Jodi Maroni’s sausage, check out the skateboarders doing elaborate stunts and watch the muscle men strut their stuff. The Santa Monica Promenade is another fun place to go for a bite, catch a movie or hear up and coming artists perform on the street for free.

Go Bowling

Bowling alleys have come a long way from old, mismatched shoes and broken down pinball machines in the corner. The Spare Room in Hollywood is one of the trendy bar and bowl establishments that’s more like a club than a game your grandpa would play. Couples dress to the nines to bowl and play chess, backgammon and Monopoly while sipping fancy cocktails. Lucky Strike Lanes has a full bar, a disc jockey and star schmoozing. Follow the dress code and leave your baggy, ripped pants and white tees at home.

Only in L.A.

Try some of the one of a kind places that you will only find in the city of angels, such as The One Eyed Gypsy in downtown. Down some pizza and boilermaker combos or swap flirting glances over deep fried Oreos at this bar that has burlesque dancers, Jazz and “Parisian gypsybilly,” according to Complex City Guide’s article, “The Coolest First Date Spots in Los Angeles.” Visit the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where the living celebrities watch films and celebrate life over the graves of their dead counterparts. If your date is in for more mainstream entertainment, Los Angeles has some beaches and a coastline, soy pick a spot for an impromptu picnic. If your date has a dog, there are even beaches that allow dogs. If your date is sun-shy, consider wearing a hat and going for a hike or bike ride through Griffith Park.

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About the Author

Bonnie Crowe is a mother of two teenagers; a teacher and author of children's books, curriculum and articles on English grammar, literature, technology, art, parenting and career guides for high schoolers. She's a former director of AOL Parenting, a member of SCBWI, and a graduate from the University of California,Berkeley.